Kakashi's Realization
by Mitarashi Anko
Summary: The first KakaAnko story I ever wrote out of pure boredom.


Anko was furious at what she was hearing. It seemed as though the day she had been dreading was finally here.

"Anko, we understand that you're a valuable member of this village, but the cursed mark on your neck is active again and we don't know if we can trust you to keep it under control in the heat of a mission. I'm restricting you from leaving the village until that mark has been resealed or until you prove trustworthy." Tsunade said.  
"You can't trust me to keep my own curse under control?" Anko fumed. "What makes that seem logical?"  
"You passed out from the out from the pain the mark caused in the middle of a mission. How much longer until it activates into what caused Sasuke to abandon us? We don't to lose you as well. It's for the sake of the village and for your own safety."  
"If you think I can't keep this mark under control, I'll just leave Konoha." She growled before storming out the door.

Tsunade sighed, hoping Anko didn't do something rash that she would regret later.  
Outside the mansion, Anko had broken into a sprint for the main gate, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She couldn't stay in Konoha. Tsunade would have the Black Ops on her in a second. She shot past Kakashi, her vision blurred with tears.

"Anko? Anko! What happened? Wait! Anko, please, turn around!" Kakashi shouted after her, desperately trying to get her attention before she vanished.

But he was too late. She had disappeared into the forest outside the village. Kakashi stopped his pursuit, both angry and upset. She was gone and he couldn't stop her either. Something told him that he had to go speak to Lady Tsunade and figure out what happened. He slowly began to head for Tsunade's office.

In the forest, Anko had slowed down to a walk, her mind racing. _Why? Why can't she trust me? I've lived in this village for over ten years, and now they say they I can't control my own curse? I thought I could live a normal life. I thought I could put the mess I got into with Orochimaru behind me, but I couldn't. I suppose I've finally overstayed my welcome in Konoha. Will anyone even notice I'm gone? Honestly, I don't think anyone cares… Maybe I should just end this hell they call life._ She thought as she pulled a kunai out of her tool pouch.  
Back in Konoha, Kakashi had burst into the office of the Hokage. "I just saw Mitarashi Anko run into the forest outside the village. What did you say to her that upset her so much? Tell me!" He demanded.  
"Calm down and have a seat." Tsunade said. "If you need to know that bad, I'll tell you." She relayed the conversation she and Anko had a few moments earlier. Kakashi was furious. How could Tsunade say she couldn't trust one of her top kunoichi just like that? How could she say that no one trusted her?  
"What if we were talking about Sasuke? You wouldn't say we don't trust him for the simple reason of he's an Uchiha, am I correct? He had meaning in this village. Do you think Anko has become useless? I'm assigning myself a mission. She has to be found." He informed her, standing up.  
"Kakashi? Why such a sudden interest in Anko? You usually don't get into other's business." Tsunade asked curiously.  
"Honestly, I think its love, Tsunade. I have to make sure she's alive." He said quietly as he opened the door and left. He headed for the main gate, hoping he wasn't too late.  
Anko held the kunai up to her chest, having second thoughts on whether she should take her life or not._ I could try and live in another village... No, as long as this mark is on my neck, I'll be considered a threat to any village I end up in. My minds made up. I'm ending this._ But something stopped her. A slight sound in the distance caught her attention. It sounded like a voice calling out her name.

"Anko? Are you out here? If you were, why would you respond? You're trying not to be found..."  
It was Kakashi. The last voice she had heard before leaving the village. She took off her headband and looked at it, wondering if she had done the right thing. Kakashi called for her again. He was closer this time. She jumped up into the branches of the tree she had been sitting under, leaving her headband behind. Kakashi came to the clearing where she had been sitting and spotted her headband. He picked it up, letting out a barely audible sigh. "Anko, if you're out there, please come out. I need to know that you're okay."  
"I'm alive for now. Why do you care? Were you sent to find me and bring me back? I'm not returning, Kakashi." She growled menacingly. He turned toward her and she saw the tears streaming from his eye. He walked over to her and hugged her tight.

"Kakashi? What are you doing? Get off of me!" she shouted, pushing him away. He reluctantly let her go.  
"I thought I'd lost you forever. Return to Konoha with me, please. I can't live without you."  
"Did Tsunade put you up to this? You can tell her that I'm not coming back, no matter how many people she sends after me. I don't care if she's the Fifth Hokage. She won't change my mind."  
"Anko, I assigned this mission to myself. I had to reassure myself that you were okay. Truth is, I think I may have fallen in love with you without even knowing it. I don't care if you don't feel the same way about me; I just needed to tell you."

Anko's jaw dropped. _He loves me? Someone actually cares? No, he's faking it to get me to come back to the village. No one could love me. I'm a threat to all who are close to me. No one is close to me. I can't ever let anyone get close to me again. Never again. Never again… _Kakashi wrapped his arms around her. "Let me be your fortress, Anko. I won't let anyone hurt you. Please. Believe me. I love you. If you don't feel the same, I will leave you be. You can live your life how you want. I just want to let you know that I love you and no one can take you from me." Tears were streaming from Anko's eyes. He was serious. He did love her. He did want to protect her. He wanted what was best for her. She looked up at him. He was crying, too.  
"Kakashi? I do believe you. I believe that you love me. What I can't believe is that you love _me_. I didn't think anyone would care if I took my life here and now. I would have made a huge mistake." She touched his chin, wondering what his face really looked like. She hooked her finger on the inside of his mask. He looked down at her, a small smile slightly visible under the mask.  
"Anko, you want to know what's behind my mask, don't you." He asked, pulling her finger from under fabric. He grabbed the front of his mask with one hand and her chin with the other. In one swift motion, he pulled his mask down and brought his lips to hers. Anko didn't know how to react. She had never been kissed before. She wished this moment would last forever. She felt loved. For the first time in her life, she was truly loved. He broke the kiss and smiled at her, his mask still off. Anko gasped. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. "Surprised at what you see? You are the only person I've taken off my mask willingly for." He said with a small smile. "But, my question still hasn't been answered. Will you return to Konoha with me? As long as we're still within village limits, we haven't become rouge ninja. Will you return or shall we become rouge ninja together?" He asked, pulling his mask back on.  
"You're needed back in the village. You don't have to sacrifice what you have to be with me. I'm not worthy of your love. I'm not worthy of anyone's love…" She looked down at the ground.  
"Anko, don't say that." Kakashi scolded with a small smile. "You know it's not true."

Anko fell to her knees. Everything was so new to her._ He doesn't care that I'm cursed. He doesn't care that I'm not like everyone else._ She smiled. Life was good. She knew that now. She was nearly foolish enough to kill herself over something she assumed. She couldn't believe what was going on. Her head was spinning. She tried to stand up, but fell back over. Kakashi laughed as he offered her his hand. She took it and stood up, using him as balance.  
"Kakashi, please tell me this is real. It seems too good to be true. This is real, right?"  
"This is real. You're not imagining it." He replied with a smile. "My question still hasn't been answered. Are we returning to Konoha?"

"Let's go back. I need to speak to Lady Tsunade anyway. I created a big mess. I have to clean it up."  
"Heh, it's already cleaned up. I got ticked off at her, and she saw what she did. Now, shall we go? It's nearly nightfall." He asked, holding her hand a little tighter.

She smiled. As long as she had Kakashi, nothing could ever hurt her. She had found her soul mate.


End file.
